Fidelitas Cognatus
by freefallin13
Summary: ...'Because sometimes, Bella, blood's thicker than cause.' Moments in time featuring three sisters from the Wizarding World's most prominent family. Snapshots of the past and present.
1. Chapter One

**Author's Note: I've always found the history of Black family (namely, the Black sisters) an interesting case study. Traditional high-class values, nobility by their own making, family bonds ripped and torn. I strived to make this as accurate as possible while being liberal with things the great J.K. Rowling herself does not divulge. This story doesn't talk about Bellatrix's descent into madness. Nor does it reveal Andromeda's eye-opening venture into a forbidden romance. Rather, these are chapters of the lives the Black sisters - past and present. Moments of their existence that touch on power, class, tradition, mercy, family ties, and three distinct and fascinating personalities. The timeline jumps around - but context clues within each chapter should help you out. Please review. **

**...**

**Chapter One **

Random acts of purification.

That's what he had called it, anyway, when the Dark Lord instructed his followers to haphazardly pick the homes of Mudbloods and blood-traitors to attack and destroy. Nothing incites more fear than irregularity and uncertainty, he said.

One particular Death Eater relished the idea of it. Her favorite mission: seek and demolish.

She knew most of her compatriots thought her torturing antics were unusual. She heard their whispers. She didn't care. The ecstasy and exhilaration of physically, mentally, and emotionally ravishing her captives brought on the giddiest of highs for her. Always the same questions - _What do you want? Why are you doing this? - _and the same desperate pleas - _Please stop! I'll give you anything! Please don't hurt my child!_ All she could do was laugh at the unoriginality of it all.

She stepped outside the Death Eater headquarters, accompanied by a tall, hooded man. She breathed in deeply the summer air. A twisted smile crept across her face. She had a good feeling about tonight and its eerie calm before her self-induced storm. She looked at her companion and nodded. And in a smoky poof she was racing through the sky, a nighthawk searching for its prey.

Bellatrix Lestrange was on the move.

...

_Last house on the left, look for the blue-flamed lantern. Last house on the left...blue-flamed lantern...on the left_...It became a mantra. And then there it was. A small, non-descript bungalow at the end of the street. A rusty, squeaky weathervane swung uselessly on the roof. The yard was overgrown with weeds. To an unknowing eye, it looked deserted.

She knew she shouldn't be here. With her husband on the run, her daughter pregnant, and her son-in-law in the Order, the woman knew she owed it to her family to be less reckless. But her now-companionless home was suffocating her with worry. Sitting while others fought, others took action. She couldn't stand it.

She heard of this location from the _Potterwatch _radio show that she had taken to closely following after her husband's disappearance. 'River' had given vague information about a safe house for fugitive Muggleborns, and she couldn't resist. And now here she was. She knocked the code. Three hard pounds. Pause. One light. Pause. Two quickly.

The door opened, a portly, ragged-looking man filled the frame. His eyes widened in fear.

The woman had never quite grown accustomed to her initial reception from strangers. Her resemblance to her infamous older sister was uncanny at first look. She sighed and stepped forward, allowing the colored light to wash over her features.

"Oh!" the man squeaked. "Forgive me, ma'am! What a pleasure to have you with us this evening. Are you here to donate to the Smuggling Muggles Using Generous Gifts and Lavish Endowments foundation?"

She nodded curtly, adding, "And to look for my husband."

He stepped aside, inviting her in. She hesitated. This was it. This was the moment between passive and active.

Andromeda Tonks was crossing the threshold.

...

She either didn't notice or didn't mind the chilling breeze lapping through the open bay window. She stared out into the night, eyes unfocused, a million thoughts streaming through her mind.

She had never questioned her loyalty. Loyalty was something engrained since birth. Loyalty to family, to cause. _Fidelitas cognatus_. Blood loyalty. _And yet where did one draw the line between loyalty to family and loyalty to family beliefs?_ She was done seeing her loved ones in danger. She tired of the constant fear and uncertainty that her husband and son would return from their missions - their meetings - alive.

She looked down at her bare, unblemished left forearm. She had never taken the mark, never felt the need to. One family member in the service was enough in her mind, although her oldest sister vehemently objected. But now...now there were two...

The woman stifled a rare sob. Stiff upper lip. Mother always said tears were a waste of energy because they resolve nothing. It was too much to think about. Suddenly, a hand gently clenched her shoulder.

"What is this window doing open? You'll catch a cold," a familiar voice drawled.

She smiled smally, reaching up to grip his hand in hers. "Darling," she whispered. "I didn't hear you come in."

She was shaken from her trance, but her mind was still mulling over its dilemma.

Narcissa Malfoy was in doubt.


	2. Chapter Two

**2.**

The orange-red glow of the setting sun highlighted the three young girls on the creek bank. The eldest lay on her back amidst the barley and bishop's lace, her hair sprawled out like a wild black flame. She was absentmindedly stroking the long blonde hair of her youngest sister, who was sitting rigidly next to her, intently watching the middle sister leap and bound in the shallow water.

"What _ever _are you doing, Andy?" the eldest asked lazily.

"Catching frogs!" the brunette yelled back.

"Well, you don't have to do it like a Muggle, do you?" she teased, propping herself up on her elbows and watching Andy splash around clumsily as the frogs slipped out of her grasp.

Andy froze. "There's another way?"

The eldest threw back her head and laughed heartily. "Of course, silly! The way Mother and Father do it." Her voice dropped to a low whisper. "The _magic _way."

In a flash, Andy was scrambling up the bank towards her sisters. "Bella, will you tell me how!? Please!?"

"Well, we'd need a wand, won't we?" Bella said, grinning mischievously. "Why don't you go fetch Mother's?"

Andy's face fell slightly. Mother would most definitely not approve of this. The formidable Druella Black was not one to be crossed; Andy could feel the phantom stings on her backside from past misbehaving. But her older sister's face was alive with excitement. Andy shifted uncomfortably, torn by inner conflict.

"Won't...won't I get in trouble?" she asked meekly.

"Oh, don't be daft. I would never let you get in trouble," Bella assured, eyes gleaming.

"Do it, Andy!" The youngest piped up, sensing her oldest sister's enthusiasm. Bella laughed and embraced the little blonde, then looked up at Andy with her patented puppy-dog look.

"Puh-pwease, Andy?" she begged in mock sadness, lip pouting.

"Yeah, pwease?" The youngest mimicked, jutting out her own lip.

"Oh, fine," Andy conceded, and Bella's grinned widened triumphantly. "But 'Cissy, don't breathe a word to anyone about this."

The youngest made a show of sealing her mouth with an invisible latch, and Andy sprinted off into the barley and towards the Black mansion.

...

Nearly a quarter hour later, she was back, brandishing a long, hawthorn wand.

"You did it, Andy," Bella grinned, an odd look in her eyes.

"Do you even know how to use it?" Andy asked skeptically, handing the wand to Bella.

"'Course I do!" Bella snapped confidently. "I'm going to Hogwarts in September!"

Andy and Cissy followed their sister down the grassy incline, hand-in-hand and eager to see magic. Bella marched into the creek, her bare toes curling in the cool mud. She bit her lip nervously, not wanting to disappoint her audience. She pointed the wand at a spotted frog and waved it purposefully. A small spark shot out of the tip and shocked the frog, which retreated downstream.

Bella laughed in jubilation as her sisters squealed.

"I'll catch you one this time, Andy!" Bella cried.

She found another frog hidden amongst the cattails. She concentrated hard and jabbed the wand forward. The frog froze mid-croak. Bella picked it up and dangled it proudly. Her sisters cheered, and she carried it over to them.

"Here you go," she grinned happily, dumping the frog in her sister's outstretched hands.

"Oh, Bella he's _beautiful_," Andy cooed.

"Do you want one then, Cissy?" Bella asked, kneeling down so she was level with the blonde, who nodded frantically.

Bella skipped back into the pond, and waved the wand at another frog. This time, however, red sparks shot out again.

"Like last time, Bella!" Cissy called from the bank.

Bella frowned. She tried again. Purple sparks. The frog croaked lowly, unaffected. Bella felt a growing rage.

"Come on, you _stupid frog_," she growled through gritted teeth, jabbing the wand violently. A jet of white light shot out, simultaneously throwing Bella backwards. She landed with a loud splash, and her sisters rushed toward her.

"Bella! Are you okay?" Andy asked, making a move to help her up.

Bella shook her off. "I'm fine. Where's the frog?"

They looked up. Andy gasped.

A small brown figure laid on the opposite bank. As they approached it, they saw it was twitching slightly but was otherwise immobile.

Bella nudged the frog with her foot, and it rolled over lamely. Then it stopped moving all together.

"Bella," Andy's voice was barely audible. "You - you killed it."

Cissy buried her face in Andy's robes. Bella frowned down at the frog. Andy looked at her, shocked to see that her face showed not horror nor shame but rather a curious wonder. She nudged it again, and it flopped back without struggle.

"It really is dead, then," Bella muttered softly, though her eyes were alive.

"BELLATRIX ADIRA BLACK!"

They looked up to see a tall witch tearing through the barley towards them, her dark brown hair whipping behind her and a look of madness etched across her pale face. She stopped at the water's edge, apprehensive of getting her silk robes wet. Andy quickly released her amphibious friend.

"Bellatrix, _what _are you doing with my wand?" Druella demanded, on the verge of breathing fire.

Bella stole a glance at Andy, whose eyes widened pleadingly.

"I was just playing with some frogs," she said simply, stepping forward and shielding her sisters from their mother's wrath.

"You know full well you are not allowed a wand yet!" Druella snapped and looked around anxiously. "What if you would have been seen?!"

"Then we would have hidden," Bella said boldly. "We're pretty good at keeping out of sight."

Druella noted the subtle dig at her parenting, and for a wild moment, it seemed as though she would risk ruining her outfit and march across the creek to deliver a swift beating. Instead, she closed her onyx-colored eyes and breathed deeply.

"Come back here. This. Instant," she hissed, each word a dagger.

Bella stomped loudly through the creek, visibly attempting to splash water on her mother's precious robes. Once she was back on dry land, Druella grabbed her arm and dragged her back towards the house.

Cissy clutched Andy's robes even harder, and the two gulped fearfully for the fate of their sister.

Bella twisted around, and gave them a secret grin and wink.

Whatever punishment she faced, it was always worth the adventure.


	3. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

"My name is Diethelm Stoole," the portly man was telling Andromeda as he guided her into the dimly-lit main hall. He jiggled the sack of Galleons she had handed him moments ago. "Your generous donation will go towards buying food and boarding supplies for Muggleborns on the run. This is just one of many S.M.U.G.G.L.E. safe homes. Not sure where headquarters is since everything is so hush-hush nowadays. But if your husband's in the area, this will likely be the spot to find him."

Andromeda's heart pounded as she turned the corner to a large and loud room full of men, women, children and make-shift bunk beds. They were crammed together as uniformed witches and wizards delivered each bed site food and blankets. They all looked up at the new arrival, and - as always - bristled at the initial sight of Andromeda before relaxing upon further inspection.

"Do you see him?" Diethelm asked as Andromeda desperately scanned the room.

"No," Andromeda conceded, disappointment heavy in her voice. "No, he's not here."

"Sorry, ma'am," Diethelm said earnestly. "From what I hear, there's another place like this about 30 miles east. He could easily be there."

She nodded and turned to leave, a lump forming in her throat.

"Why don't you stay here tonight, Mrs. Tonks?" Diethelm suggested, noticing the weariness on Andromeda's face. "We have very comfortable accommodations for our volunteers and spare robes fresh from the laundry."

She saw his genuine look of concern and was touched at the display of generosity.

"Thank you," she said heavily, and he guided her into a spacious living room away from the noisy S.M.U.G.G.L.E. stowaways. He summoned a plain but fluffy-looking bed and set it down in the middle of the room. He bowed slightly and made to leave, and she sat on the edge of the bed, staring at her hands.

Suddenly, the air around her exploded. She was thrown backwards, toppling behind the bed. Screams echoed from the hallway, and Adromeda sat up, head swimming.

She peered around the corner of the bed. A gaping hole had been blasted through the wall. Huge chunks of stone littered the room, and dust caked the air. More explosions. More screams. A faint sound of mad laughter. As she squinted to see through the dust, she saw a tall, hooded man towering over Diethelm, who was backing up against a piece of ruined slab of wall.

"And what's your blood status, scum?" the man snarled.

"H-half-blood!" Diethelm managed, visibly shaking.

"That can easily be proven or disproven," the man laughed humorlessly. He flicked his wand, and Diethelm froze in place. Then ropes shot out of the man's wand and tied themselves tightly around the prone figure. The man swept the room for more occupants.

Andromeda scurried back behind the bed. She sat deathly still, ears straining for telling signs of movement. She heard his heavy, foreboding steps sweep the dark room. They were soon accompanied by a new set of footsteps. Lighter, faster.

"Wait 'til you see the main room, Dolohov!" a woman's voice barked gleefully. "This is a nest of Mudbloods!"

Andromeda's blood froze in her veins. That voice. It was foreign and familiar all at once. No. It couldn't be. Of all places. Of all possibilities. No.

"What have we here?" The woman was saying, as Andromeda looked around for her wand.

"Claims he's a half-blood," Dolohov said.

"A half-blood?" The woman repeated, a haunted laugh filled the room. Chills ran up Andromeda's spine. "Then what is he doing in the company of such vermin? The trace of filth in your blood yearning to be with its kinsmen? _Finite_."

"P-p-please, Miss," Diethelm stuttered after the curse lifted. "I am a half-blood. Doesn't your lot have a list of names?"

Andromeda spotted her wand just past the end of the bed, lying in plain sight of the Death Eaters.

"Associating with Mudbloods is as good as being one," the woman snarled, suddenly serious. "_CRUCIO!_"

A ear-splitting scream erupted across the room. Andromeda covered her mouth, trying not to scream herself. After what felt like hours, the woman lifted the curse.

"He's not going anywhere," she said mirthfully. "I have two dozen Mudbloods in the other room waiting to be played with."

For five full minutes, Andromeda listened. When she was sure all she could hear were Diethelm's pathetic whimpers, she grabbed her wand and crawled across the room towards him. The enchanted ties still held him in place. He had a nasty gash on his wrinkled forehead and blood trickling out of his mouth.

"Mrs. Tonks!" He choked out in surprise.

Andromeda held a finger up to her mouth. She tapped the ropes with her wand, and they disappeared. A green flash lit the neighboring hallway.

"You know how to Apparate, don't you?" She whispered hurriedly.

"Wha-? Yes," He looked confused. "But why?"

"Get out of here. They'll kill you when they find out what you were doing for those Muggleborns," Andromeda whispered. She told him her address. "Go there. Wait for me."

"But - the others?" He craned a look over her shoulder.

As if on cue, another loud bang followed by an agonized scream resounded down the hall.

Andromeda closed her eyes. "They're beyond saving. But I'll see what I can do."

She paused, hearing a voice in the hallway.

"Just go!" she pleaded.

Diethelm scrambled outside through the gap in the wall, and with a loud _pop_, he was gone.

"Go on ahead. I am going to check this room one last time," the exhilarated woman called out.

Andromeda froze. There was no time to hide. The woman's voice grew louder, closer.

As she neared the doorframe, the woman began to jeer, "Come out, come out wherever y-..."

The imposing frame of Bellatrix Lestrange, the most feared witch in the wizarding world, filled the doorway. Her face contorted with a mix of bewilderment and rage.

"_YOU_."

Andromeda stood up to her full height and faced her sister.

She got the strangest sensation that she was looking in some sort of twisted, demented mirror. Twenty-five years and a long stint in Azkaban had taken their toll on Bellatrix's looks more than Andromeda could have guessed. The two sisters stared at each other from across the room. The silence hung thick in the air.

"_Andromeda_," Bellatrix spat, recovering quickly. "Here. In a safe house for smuggled _Mudbloods_. But then you've always been a Mudwallower, haven't you?"

Andromeda gripped her wand tightly. She had been fearing this moment for a quarter of a century. And now that it was finally here, finally a reality, she felt oddly calm. "Hello, sister."

"_SISTER?!_" Bellatrix roared, black eyes ablaze. "You haven't been my sister since the day that trash put _its _filthy ring on your finger." She broke into a crooked smile. "Tell me, have they caught _it _yet? Is your little Mudblood on the run?"

Andromeda took a deep breath. "You can't antagonize me, Bella-" (who flinched at the old pet name) "-I grew up with your baiting methods. It doesn't work on me."

"_Expelliarmus!_" Before Andromeda could react, she felt her wand leave her hand and heard it clatter far out of reach.

"I never could beat you in dueling, Bella," Andromeda said softly, not breaking eye contact.

Bellatrix's grin faded. Her mouth became an angry, thin line. "Do you think you're going to appeal to my nostalgic side, _Andy_?" She snapped. "Do you think reflecting on the 'good old days' will save you? Or did you forget that I killed our dear cousin? And that I would have killed your blessed daughter had I not been distracted?"

Andromeda studied Bellatrix's face. Her once-alluring eyes were wild and mad and surrounded by dark circles. Her once-gorgeous raven hair was a fly-away mess. Her cheeks were hollowed, and her skin was deathly pale. And yet, she could still see Bella, her big sister, underneath it all. She was still beautiful and feral and fearless, just as always. Andromeda couldn't help but smile smally.

"You've built quite the reputation," she said mildly, desperately racking her mind for an impossible escape. "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's right-hand woman? That's what I hear anyway."

Bellatrix sneered. "I alone am the Dark Lord's most loyal - most faithful - servant. I alone actively maintain the proud traditions of the House of Black," she said, pride gushing from her low voice. "While you lay in hiding with that disgusting Mudblood, I revel in the glory the Dark Lord bestows upon me. The power to break minds at any whim. To destroy. To kill."

Andromeda recognized the tactics. After all these years, she was the same brash little bully.

"Are you going to kill me, Bella?" she asked steadily, absentmindedly fingering the silver three-leaf clover that dangled from her necklace.

Bellatrix raised her wand dramatically, a look of long-awaited triumph on her face. Then she paused. Her eyes were fixed on the charm. And for a fleeting moment, the hate and anger melted away and was replaced by...could it be anguish? Disbelief? The wand wavered.

"You still wear that?" Her voice wasn't taunting. It wasn't bitter. It was distress.

Andromeda stared down at the charm in surprise, as if she had forgotten it was there. "Yes...I guess I just never thought to take it off," she said, examining it gingerly. She looked back up.

Bellatrix was lowering her wand with a look of utter disgust.

"Get out," she said finally, staring at the ground, disgusted with herself.

"Bella-"

"Get. OUT," she repeated harshly, raising her wand again to drive the point home.

Andromeda backed into the front door and grasped behind her back for the knob. Bellatrix was growing more and more furious.

"Get out. GET OUT. GET OUT. GET. _OUT_!" She cried maniacally, fists clenched, cheeks flushed. An animalistic fury spreading across her face.

Andromeda fumbled the door handle and scrambled outside, watching in awe as Bellatrix screamed at herself. As soon as the cool air hit Andromeda's face, she Disapparated, the echoes of her sister's crazed screams still filling the night air.


	4. Chapter Four

**Author's Note: Special thanks to Lilia-Rose and Miss-Fleur-Riddle for their help with British slang for this chapter. My hopeless American self couldn't have done it without them. **

**Chapter Four**

"And _wait _'til you see the common room, Andy. There's leather couches and sofas and _everything's _green! And it's under the lake, Andy! _Under the lake_!"

Bella was twittering excitedly as the Black family strolled through Diagon Alley amidst the hustle and bustle of back-to-school shoppers. Parents darted after their awe-struck children, who were enamored with the displayed broomsticks and exotic animals.

"Now, now, Bellatrix," Cygnus Black said coolly. "Don't give away too much about the Slytherin Dungeon. Andromeda _may _get sorted somewhere else."

Bella stopped in her tracks, scandalized, but Andy caught her father's eye, and he winked slyly.

"B-but _every _Black has been sorted into Slytherin!" Bella scoffed, as if anything otherwise was impossible. "Oh, Andy, I can't _wait _to show you around. We'll have so much fun."

A quiet sound of misery escaped from the youngest Black sister. Bella looked down at her.

"Don't worry, Cissy," Bella smiled, taking the blonde's hand in hers. "Two more years, right? By then, I might be a prefect and get all the nasty Gryffindors out of your way."

Cissy giggled, and they passed Madam Malkin's without a second glance. Andy paused, confused, and looked down at her parchment. "It says I need three standard work robes..." she said uncertainly.

"Andromeda, surely you know by now that the Black family does not intermix with mere commoners," Druella Black said airily, turning her head to glance in one of the robe shop's windows. Her lip curled in disgust.

Andy nodded, half-listening. The sight and sound were dizzying. Students of all ages filed in and out of shops, arms full of supplies, some not unlike Andy's own and some completely foreign-looking. Everything was exciting and scary and new. After a few blocks of walking in a enchanted daze, Andy noticed her parents walking into a place called Twilfitt & Tatting's.

The shop was large and bright, dozens of elaborate chandeliers draped from the ceiling. Beautiful witches and handsome wizards in crisp green uniforms serviced patrons among the hundreds of rows of robes of all colors and fabrics. Proud Corinthian columns encompassed plush cream-colored armchairs in the center of the store. An attractive blonde wizard approached the family, a tray of beverages perched on his hand.

"Master and Madam Black," he said, bowing slightly. "Can I fancy you some of our finest Goblin mead or Moly leaf tea?"

Cygnus took a goblet and sipped it lightly as Druella dismissed the offer with an impatient wave.

The employee leaned towards the Black sisters. "And for these charming young ladies?" He grinned, showing a set of gleaming white teeth. "An iced pumpkin juice? A glass of McSpratts?"

Andy and Cissy giggled and blushed, but Bella boldly grabbed a mug off the tray, holding the gaze of the handsome wizard and cocking a suggestive eyebrow. The man reddened, straightened, and hurried away without another word.

"Cygnus, darling, the Lestranges are here," Druella was saying as a woman and two young boys approached. "Hello, Regina."

"Isn't that your _boy_friend, Bella?" Cissy sang in her sister's ear.

A good-looking, dark-featured boy of about 14 took one of Bella's hands into his own and kissed it. "Good afternoon, Miss Black," he said silkily.

Bella smirked in response, receiving a subtle yet painful pinch from her mother. She submitted the smallest of curtsies. "_Mister _Lestrange."

While Bella and her friend flirted shamelessly and her parents conversed with Mrs. Lestrange, Andy and Cissy took to an improvised game of hide-and-seek between the rows of robes. Andy was hidden in the center of a circular rack of dress robes, trying to keep from giggling nervously. Suddenly, a pair of hands wrenched opened the curtain of satin and chiffon. Bella's face appeared soon after, clamping fingers over Andy's mouth to stifle the scream of shock.

"Father said he had to run an errand to Borgin & Burke's," Bella whispered frantically. "Let's go!"

"Oh, does he want us to join him?" Andy asked, perplexed.

"No, silly, he'd never allow us to go _there_," Bella rolled her eyes. "That's why we have to be sneaky!"

"But what about our robes?" Andy asked cautiously, looking under the line of cloaks to see her mother and Mrs. Lestrange's feet close together, evidence that they were still lost in conversation.

Bella clicked her tongue impatiently. "Mother knows our sizes. Come _on_!"

Seeing that her sister still wasn't convinced, Bella opted for a different route.

"You'll probably be the only Firsty to have ever been to Knockturn Alley," Bella said with an dramatic sigh. "Wouldn't that make for quite a story for the upper crust Hogwarts students..."

Eager for the acceptance of Bella's group of friends (all older than Andy and therefore more impressive), the younger Black sister scrambled out of the cocoon of cloaks. Bella beamed triumphantly, and the two snuck past their mother and Cissy and out the door.

"Bella, do you _love_ your boyfriend?" Andy asked as they made their way down the street.

Bella's dark eyebrows narrowed. "Love?"

Andy didn't expect this response. She thought all older kids knew what love was. She certainly did not. She remembered seeing the word in _Beedle the Bard_ stories and knew it was a very powerful feeling.

"Y'know," Andy said. "I thought you were supposed to love your boyfriend."

Bella shrugged, staring straight ahead, unconcerned.

"Well," Andy said slowly, not wanting to cross the line. "Why are you with him if you don't love him?"

Bella stopped and turned to face her sister. She looked affronted. "What's gotten _into _you, Andy?"

Andy shifted uncomfortably. Her sister's piercing gaze always intimidated her. "I just didn't know why two people would be together if they didn't love each other."

"He's a Pureblood," she said with a hint of annoyance, as though this was the most obvious thing in the world. "Blacks marry Purebloods."

Andy could tell by the tone of her sister's voice that that was the final word on the matter. They started walking again.

"Do you even know where we're going?" she asked after a few minutes of silence.

"I think so," Bella said with conviction, climbing the stone steps leading to Flourish & Blotts to get a better view. "I remember Travers describing its general location - Oh look, there's Father!"

Sure enough, nearly a block ahead, a tall man with an unmistakable dragonhide D'orsay pressed through the crowd. They watched him turn left at the end of the street, disappearing from view. Bella hopped off the steps and bounded after him, Andy hot on her trail.

The girls turned the corner where their father had, and gazed upon an area that could not have been more different from the lively and welcoming vibe of Diagon Alley. Crooked signs swung ominously from the doors of dark shops. Dozens of shadowed figures lined the dirty stone walls. A hag grinned toothlessly at them. A emaciated man rocked back and forth on the ground, muttering incoherently.

Andy shivered and clutched her robe clasp around her neck, a nervous tick of hers. "Bella, this place gives me the creeps," she said quietly.

But Bella's face was alive with fascination. Her eyes greedily scanned the store windows, each filled with a different array of magical and oftentimes scary devices. They finally reached Borgin & Burkes midway down the cobbled street. Bella pressed her face against the front window. Cygnus was sauntering up an aisle full of wicked-looking objects, the shop's owner tailing him like a sleazy shadow.

"Wonder what he's looking at..." Bella muttered to herself.

"Well, well, well," a gruff voice said behind her. "Take a butchers at these skirts."

Bella whirred around to see two rugged men and a pockmarked woman walking towards the sisters. The lead wizard had a nasty smile pasted across his scarred face. Bella grabbed Andy's arm and stepped in front of her.

"What are such loaded nipp'rs doin' 'round these parts?" The man said menacingly to his chuckling friends. "Reckon they're butcherin' fer trouble?"

"Yer, I reckon'," the other man said, staring hungrily at the girls' leather shoes. "Those buckles migh' be worth a bob or two. You fink they's real silver, Cook?"

"Get the hell away," Bella growled dangerously.

The woman bared jagged, yellow cuspids. "This one's got spunk," she laughed wheezily. "Come off it, love. Give 'em to old auntie...and your sissy's pretty Gawdon Bennets, too."

Bella brandished her wand in a flash, her face taut and concentrated. "Speak English, you git," she warned. The trio laughed.

"What she gon'a do?" The man called Cook crowed. "Give us a Curse of the Bogeys?"

The other two howled with laughter. Bella didn't move.

"Hey girlie, what do you go by?" the second man asked, looking amused.

Bella stood tall. "Bellatrix Black," she said proudly.

The three exchanged meaningful looks.

"Oooh the 'Noble 'Ouse of Black,' are we? Looks like they've sunk a peg or two," Cook said, a small amount of spittle forming on his bottom lip. "Think yer summit special then? Above us?"

"I _know _I'm above you lot of filthy trolls," Bella snarled.

"You little trollop, wot you want is a good 'idin'. Bet your royal tushy's never felt a buckle, 'as it?" the woman cackled. "Wot say we teach 'em a lesson o'life?"

The gang closed in on the two sisters, and in an instant, Cook was lunging at Andy, grabbing at her rings. A split-second later, Bella yelled, "_Locomotor Mortis_!"

Cook's knees went rigid, and he toppled forward from lack of balance. Andy gasped.

"Why you bloody little bint..." the other man started, hand plunging into his robes. But Bella beat him to it.

"_Bombarda_!" she screamed, causing the wall behind him to blast apart and bury him in a pile of stony rubble.

Meanwhile, the old witch had found her own wand and yelled a curse out at Bella, who ducked the jet of white light a split-second before it would have hit her square in the face. The witch turned her wand on Andy.

"_Ruptispectis_!" Bella said quickly.

The witch clutched her swelling eyes, stumbling around in agony before collapsing to the ground. Bella stood in the center of the destruction, breathing heavily and tucking loose strands of black hair behind her ears. She looked down her nose at them haughtily, sneering. Then she looked to her sister.

"Are you alright, Andy?"

Andy nodded, speechless. She was terrified.

It wasn't because her 13 year-old sister just defeated three full-grown wizards. It wasn't because she had done it in less than a minute. It wasn't because Andy herself was almost attacked twice.

What frightened Andy more than any of these things was the savage look of dominance gleaming in her sister's eyes.


	5. Chapter Five

**Author's Note: I updated my profile – so now it's no longer that worthless five-sentence joke it used to be. Now it's all Harry Potter-ed out ****J**

**  
Chapter Five**

"For the hundredth time tonight, Lucius, I am _fine_."

Narcissa Malfoy spoke into her husband's chest as the couple lounged in front of their massive white marble fireplace. Lucius gingerly kissed the top of her head.

"I'm just concerned," he said. "You're awfully quiet tonight."

"It's nothing," she said dismissively. "It's just...Well, I just worry sometimes...about you and Draco."

Lucius chuckled softly. "You have nothing to be afraid of, Narcissa. We're under the Dark Lord's protection. Do not underestimate your son and I; we're quite capable wizards, you know."

Narcissa opened her mouth to speak again but decided against it. They fell into a comfortable silence. Minutes passed, and the only sound came from Lucius' clinking wine glass and the popping of the blistering, burning firewood. Narcissa allowed herself a contented sigh.

Their peaceful moment of solitude was crudely interrupted when the giant oak double-doors swung open with a resounding bang. A disheveled-looking woman stumbled in. The Malfoys turned around to see Bellatrix Lestrange throwing her black cloak on the ground, visibly upset.

"Cissy," she gasped, voice cracking. "Cissy, I need to talk to you."

"What is it, Bella?" Narcissa asked impassively, turning back to the fire.

"I need-" Bellatrix froze when she caught sight of Lucius' blonde head. She straightened, her usual haughty posture and expression reappearing.

"This does not concern you, _Lucius_," she said, disdain dripping from her words.

"Indeed?" he drawled. "Funny, I was under the impression that we were in _my _house."

His eyes sparkled mutinously, but Narcissa gently squeezed his knee. "Lucius, perhaps you should step out for a second," she whispered.

He nodded briskly and stood, pressing his lips to Narcissa's hand. He marched towards Bellatrix, a contemptuous smirk playing across his face. He stopped centimeters away from her.

"The time will come when your sister will stop letting you bully everyone," he breathed, his cold gray eyes bearing down into hers.

"I don't need her permission, you weak, pathetic man," she snapped, staring daggers back at him. The smirk vanished, and he brushed by her and out the door. Bellatrix's tough exterior faded, and she swept over to Narcissa.

"Cissy," she said again, collapsing on her sister's shoulder and curling her feet underneath her. "I - I did something terrible."

Narcissa cocked an eyebrow. "And this is news?"

Bellatrix was back on her feet and pacing wildly, cursing under her breath. Narcissa watched her with mild interest; she was used to her sister's explosive tantrums and knew it was best to wait patiently until they subsided.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" Narcissa asked evenly after a few minutes of listening to Bellatrix's inane mumbling and swearing.

Bellatrix stopped abruptly and spun on her heel. She looked down at Narcissa in that insufferably superior way of hers.

"I saw Andromeda."

And with that simple sentence, the world crashed down around Narcissa's eardrums. That name. A name she hadn't heard in a lifetime. Druella standing in front of another sizzling singe on the ancient tapestry, forbidding her heartbroken husband and daughters from ever speaking that very name again. "Betrayal and shame brought to this house." And then there were two. How many years now? The blonde snapped back to the present and froze against the back of the velvet couch. The smallest "What?" escaped from somewhere within her.

"I saw her, Cissy," Bellatrix repeated, voice uncharacteristically softer.

"Where?" Narcissa asked, trying to find her voice. Everything was getting blurry. Her brain was reeling.

"At some Mudblood hideout."

"Did you...did you...?" Her throat constricted. She couldn't bring herself to finish the question. She stared warily at her sister.

Bellatrix began pacing again, annoyance renewed. "No," she said finally. The anger came back. "No, Cissy, I _didn't _kill her." She grabbed the fire poker and clutched it desperately. "I didn't kill the blood traitor."

Narcissa sighed. "And you're angry with yourself," she said placidly. Andromeda's soft brown hair and kind dark eyes swirled in front of her, a face she fought so hard to forget so long ago. Hearing her sister's name again was like discovering she came back from the dead.

"I let her go!" Bellatrix screamed, slamming the brass poker against the hard marble mantle. "I should have killed her, Cissy. I _promised_ the Dark Lord." She choked on that last part, fear filling her face.

"Why didn't you then, Bella?" Narcissa asked quietly, staring into the fire's flickering embers.

Bellatrix crumpled on the couch again. For a long minute, she didn't say anything at all. Then she muttered something inaudible.

Narcissa turned her head a fraction of an inch, still mesmerized by the flames. "Hmm?"

"She was wearing that necklace," Bellatrix said again, a nauseated look on her face. "That _damned _necklace."

Narcissa breathed in sharply. Her hand made an involuntary movement towards her sister, but she drew it quickly away. "Bella..."

"Why should it matter?" Bellatrix interjected, fury mounting yet again. "Why should it mean a thing to me, Cissy? Now? After all these years?!"

Bellatrix was back on her feet a third time, clearly beside herself. "Andromeda made her choice between her beliefs and her own family 25 years ago," she ranted, stalking like a caged animal. "Why should I have done any different!? She was right there. Wandless. Defenseless. That pathetic, useless look on her face as always! Why didn't I kill her!?"

Narcissa reached out and grabbed Bellatrix's arm firmly, stopping her in her tracks. She looked up at her sister and smiled sadly.

"Because sometimes, Bella, blood's thicker than cause."

The glow from the fire highlighted a single tear streaking down the Death Eater's cheek.

...

Andromeda Tonks landed on the grassy incline a few meters away from her door. She sat there for a moment, breathing in ragged gasps. She stared at the ground, the last hour's events replaying at high-speed in her mind. To see her older sister after so long, even in the most unpleasant of circumstances, had been a complete shock to her system. Her cruel, merciless killer of a sister. And yet she had lived. She had been spared the same horrible fate to which dozens of others had fallen victim. Overwhelmed, Andromeda buried her face in her hands and sobbed freely.

After finally composing herself, she looked up at her secluded home. A light was on in the front room. Diethelm must have arrived safely. She took a deep, calming breath and headed inside.

Diethelm was tending to a tea pot hanging over the lit fireplace. He looked up upon hearing the sound of the door opening.

"Mrs. Tonks!" he brightened. "You're alright! Here..." he lifted the kettle and poured the steaming water into a tea cup. "Drink up."

Andromeda smiled gratefully, wrapping her fingers around the warm porcelain. "Thank you, Mr. Stoole."

She sank into an armchair as he bustled about the kitchen. "I hope you don't mind me rummaging through your things, ma'am," he called.

"It's alright," she said distractedly, staring at the dregs of tea leaves in the bottom of her cup. He reemerged with a tray full of food. He placed it on a coffee table and sat in a chair across from Andromeda. He studied her over the top of his mug as she grabbed a biscuit.

"That was your sister, wasn't it?" he finally asked.

Andromeda hesitated. She cringed. There was no use in denying it. "Yes," she said, a muscle twitching in her jaw.

"Did she find you after I left?" he pressed.

"No," Andromeda lied. No need to complicate things. "No, I hid again. Just in time, too. She searched the house for a few more minutes then left." She looked up at Diethelm, who was still staring at her intently. "Look, Bellatrix and I -"

"-are connected by blood and nothing more," Diethelm finished simply. "Forgive me, Mrs. Tonks. I didn't mean to sound accusing. It's rather clear that you and your sister chose very different paths."

Andromeda nodded. "That was the first time I've seen her since I married my husband over 20 years ago," she said faintly. For a wild moment, she thought of the silly running joke between her and Ted: Andromeda, the "not-so-Black" sheep of the family. Ha. But now he was gone - and the laughter left with him. She looked back up at Deithelm, again noticing the deep gash on his face. Her sister's handiwork.

"I'm truly sorry," she said sincerely.

"They were brave," he said distantly as he gazed into the fire, and she assumed he was referring to the doomed Muggleborns. "Maybe a few escaped..."

Andromeda, who wasn't so naive, felt slightly sick. She stood suddenly.

"Pardon me for excusing myself, Mr. Stoole, but tonight's events were quite exhausting. I best retire to bed," she said. "Feel free to stay here as long as necessary. There's a spare bedroom down the hall."

He raised a hand in thanks, and she climbed the stairs to her bedroom. She crawled into the sheets, staring at the empty spot next to her once occupied by her husband. She traced the vacancy with her fingers and felt the oddest sensation. For the first time in weeks, she had company in the house. She was finally growing accustomed to Ted's disappearance, and here appeared a nice, warm body inside her home. A smiling face and much needed interaction. He was her sanity's saving grace.

Yet, for some unnamed reason, Andromeda Tonks had never felt more alone.


	6. Chapter Six

**Author's Note: This chapter contains darker themes and harsher language. I think it still is within the "T" rating guidelines, but I wanted to warn you anyway. **

**Chapter Six**

Cissy perched on the immense four-post bed, hands folded calmly in her lap, legs dangling precariously over the edge. She craned her neck as high as possible, trying to steal a glance in the mirror over Andy's shoulder. Her reflection stared back at her, and she smiled and shook her head, watching her neatly styled blonde curls dance around her face. She self-consciously smoothed out her cornflower blue taffeta robes and examined her immaculately polished nails. She sighed heavily and lay back against the fluffy comforter, bored.

"Well, Cissy, no one told you to get ready two hours early," Andy grumbled into the mirror as she leaned forward, brushing the caramel-colored powder onto her eyelids.

But Andy couldn't blame her younger sister's enthusiasm. She remembered the first time she was allowed to attend one of the famed Society of the Preservation of Purity parties. The official-sounding name aside, Andy knew it was really just an excuse for the wealthiest pureblood families in the Wizarding World to eat, drink, and flaunt their wealth. And now that Cissy was 13, she was allow to attend and see the spectacle for herself.

Andy wasn't particularly keen on these parties; they always seemed rather unnecessary to her with the puffed-up men and the venomous women who smiled and nodded then struck once a friend was out of earshot. But it was rather fun to see her cousins and the young men looking dashing in their dress robes. Andy smiled to herself. Yes, that part she could definitely manage.

The door to her bedroom burst open, and her older sister posed saucily, one hand at her hip, the other stretching up the door frame.

"How do I look?" she purred.

Andy gaped. Bella was wearing rather clingy satin black robes. "Bella!" She managed. "You can't get away with going like that."

Bella shrugged and winked a dusky-shaded eyelid. "Why not?"

"Because...because..." but Andy failed to find a reason. She looked down at her own modest scarlet chiffon robes and frowned.

"Good thing I've got enough brains for the both of us," Bella smirked as she flicked her wand. A gorgeous set of emerald dress robes - nearly identical to Bella's own - appeared out of thin air. "Happy early birthday, dear sister."

Andy studied the material with wide eyes then dashed into her closet, quickly shedding off her previous outfit and sliding into the smooth green silk. She stepped out, modeling her new look. Bella smiled, a smug look of self-satisfaction playing across her face. Cissy watched her two eldest sisters continue to pamper and preen in the mirror - resembling each other even more so with matching mischievous smiles and excited laughs.

...

Because Andy and Narcissa weren't old enough to Apparate (Bella had recently passed her test), the Black family set off in its grand Aethonan-driven pearl carriage. Narcissa stared dreamily out the window and into the clouds while Andy and Bella gossiped fervently.

"You two better get it all out now ," Druella snapped back from the front of the carriage. "I will not have you blithering like servants once we arrive at the Nott's."

Bella and Andy exchanged glances and snorted into their hands. Suddenly, Cissy piped up after an hour of silence. "We're here!"

The sisters pressed their faces against different windows, eager to drink in the visual feast. The Nott family estate was alive with floating fairy lanterns and bewitched glowing white lilies and dark red amaryllis. A massive banner that read "Society of the Preservation of Purity" in shimmering silver and green letters was draped on the wrought-iron fence. Dozens of grandiose carriages and enchanted Bentley Continentals lined the narrow pathway to the front gate.

"Wow," Cissy breathed.

But Druella clicked her tongue in disapproval. "Glittering dragonflies in the garden? How painfully mundane. Wouldn't you say our neon salamanders last year were more original?"

Cygnus nodded dutifully and stepped out of the carriage, extending a hand to his wife. They walked tall and proud through the gates and toward the back yard, where a group of witches and wizards bustled around an array of tables and chairs. An old but stately man in servant's robes greeted them at the gate.

"Good evening, Master and Madam Black," he said, bowing so low, his nose might have scraped the grass. "Allow me to assist you to your seats."

He extended his arm, Druella took it, and Cygnus and the girls followed.

As they passed other tables, other partygoers greeted the Black family. A thin woman in purple velvet robes waved. A dashing, dark-featured man in long black robes smiled oily and briskly bowed his head. A few people looked on in barely-suppressed awe. Druella and Cygnus acknowledged them all with a haughty nod and smile.

The servant stopped at the very front table, which had a touch more of decoration and elegance than the others. The goblets, plates, and silverware were lined in gold. The centerpiece was a bit bigger, a bit grander. The chairs looked a pinch more comfortable. And while most servants moved throughout the yard, stopping to service tables at random, a solitary man dressed in red stood rigid and unmoving next to the Black's table, waiting for their command and their command alone.

Bella smirked as she sat down.

"God, I love being us."

...

Evening turned to night, and the guests had drifted from their assigned seats and wandered around freely. While the children gawked at the colorful puffs of smoke springing from the band's pipes and flutes, the men gathered around the bar, gesturing grandly with drinks in hand, and the women toured Madam Nott's gardens, politely feigning interest in her exotic tales of how she came to acquire each plant. Andy danced playfully with her young cousins Sirius and Reggie while Cissy sat at a secluded table, an attractive blonde-haired boy whispering in her ear, her face turning pinker by the minute.

Andy whirled little Reggie around the dance floor, his pure, childish giggles echoing in the night air. A light tap on her back brought her to a stop. She turned. It was Rodolphus Lestrange.

"Have you seen your sister?" he asked.

Andy nodded and pointed over at Cissy, then turned back to Reggie. She heard an exasperated sigh behind her and felt another quick tap. Andy fought a smile and turned back around.

"Oh, it's you again!" she said in mock-surprise, biting her cheek to keep from grinning.

"I meant your _other_ sister," Rodolphus said impatiently, missing the joke.

Andy shrugged and Rodolphus sulked away, and she felt a small pang of pity for the young man. Of course, she knew exactly where her sister was...or at least she had a general idea. Bella had promised herself to Rodolphus, but such ties didn't stop her from enjoying the company of other wizards at her leisure. Andy thought back to the late nights in the Slytherin Dungeons, pouring over stacks of books and scrolls of homework, and hearing the familiar footsteps echoing down the entrance corridor. She would glance up to see Bella, hair and clothes slightly askew and looking rather pleased with herself. She'd mumble something about being out with Rodolphus, and Andy would smile into the candlelight, knowing that Rodolphus retired to bed hours ago. _Wonder which of tonight's picks she ran off to the bushes with._ Andy rolled her eyes and shook her head. _Oh, Bella._

...

After another half-hour of dancing, Andy excused herself from her cousins and their boundless energy. She craved solitude to walk through the gardens and think. She passed a still-seated Cissy, lightly squeezing her shoulder but otherwise not wanting to interrupt her dreamy fawning over the blonde...was it a Malfoy?

Andy entered the garden and sat on a cold, stone bench opposite a healthy growth of Flitterbloom. The night was quiet save the sound of a few chirping crickets and a distant rustling bush. She breathed in deeply, cherishing this small moment of calm on the outskirts of the party. She slipped off her shoes - grateful Druella wasn't around to scold - and ran her feet through the cool patches of clover beneath her. For a fleeting moment, her mind focused on _him_. Him. The reason she wasn't where Cissy was...or wherever Bella was. And Mother found her middle daughter's lack of interest in the boys at parties rather odd, but Andy knew, and she thought of _him_...

A faint wail shook her from her thoughts. Her head snapped to the right, and she peered down the dark garden path. Another distant yelp. "_Lumos_." Andy was on her feet, heart pounding. The small sliver of light poured over the greenery, illuminating the sage and Belladonna. Stillness. She took a few cautious steps, and her foot came down on something hard. She directed her steam of light toward the ground for a better look: a long, thin stick. Walnut.

Bella's wand.

Andy's heart lept to her throat. In an instant, she had grabbed the wand and was sprinting into the depths of the inky blackness of the garden. Her mind raced at a million thoughts a second, as her feet thudded hard on the cobbled stone. Bella's wand was like an extension of her arm. She never would have simply dropped it...not on purpose. As she ran, she pocketed her own wand and brandished Bella's; for some reason, she felt more powerful with her sister's. More prepared. Andy ignored the leaves and branches whipping against her face and arms. She ran until her lungs ached and that blood-like taste of iron filled her mouth. _Bella_.

She followed the inhuman noises to a clearing in the garden with benches and an enchanted babbling brook the center. Andy froze behind a neatly trimmed hedge and peered around the corner. Her eyes widened in shock and horror at the sight in front of her.

Bella lay doubled-over choking in the grass, her beautiful dress robes ripped and stretches of exposed skin covered in angry red scratches. She was glaring wildly at something out of Andy's line of vision - like a caged animal eyes its captor.

"Were you foolish enough to believe me one of your boyfriends back at school?" a deep male voice mocked. "Idiot girl."

Bella spat out a mouthful of blood. "F-fuck you," she gasped.

Andy remained planted on the spot. _Any moment now, Bella's going to retaliate and make this man wish he was never born_. Andy was sure of it.

"Excuse me? I didn't quite catch that," the voice said coldly. Out of the corner of her eye, Andy saw an orange jet of light erupt and strike Bella in the chest. She blasted backwards and landed on her hands and knees. She coughed up more blood.

_Any moment, Bella will strike back and laugh, and he'll be sorry like the rest. _

"Speak up, you proud bitch," the man growled, his voice drawing nearer.

Andy finally saw him as he walked toward her sister. His back was to Andy, but she could tell that it was the same dark-haired man that greeted the Black Family with a twisted smile earlier that evening. He squatted behind Bella, grabbed a handful of hair, and pulled her head backwards.

_Any moment._

"The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black's finest whore," the man grinned in her ear, and Bella twisted to get away. "How proud your father will be when I tell him just how...close...his daughter and I became."

He slowly ran a single finger across Bella's collarbone, and she shuddered in revulsion. And for the first time in her nearly 15 years of life, Andy saw a stranger that shared her features. This wasn't her big sister, her loyal guardian, her ruthless protector. The facade was gone and replaced with something Andy had never seen her sister reveal:

Vulnerability.

And suddenly, Andy knew that moment wasn't coming. Bella wasn't striking back. The most foreign feeling awoke in the pit of Andy's stomach. An anger and passion she had never before felt coursed through every fiber of her being. This man needed to pay. To hurt. Before she knew what she was doing, Andy spun around the hedge and screamed.

"CRUCIO!"

The man released Bella, and crumpled on the ground in a heap of moans and screams. Andy strode over to him, pointing Bella's wand dangerously.

"Back the _hell_ away from my sister," she said, every word dripping with contempt, kicking his wand out of reach while keeping her own level with his shocked face.

"You Blacks," he snarled. "Strutting around like you're the royalty of the Wizarding World when you're no better than any other Purebloods. Your sister needed to be put in her place."

"Stay away from my family," Andy said firmly, trying to ignore his comments and keep her voice steady. The man looked at Bella again, who was shaking in silent anger. He grinned maliciously at her, snatched his wand, and disappeared with a sudden _crack_.

Bella fell back onto a patch clover, uneven breathing peppered with fits of coughs. Andy's small ounce of composure melted, and she collapsed next to her and let out a small sob that contained scores of emotions.

"Bella," she said, cheeks shining wet. "Bella, are you alright?"

Bella said nothing but turned over and silently curled into a ball. Andy shadowed her sister's position mere inches away, wanting to reach out - to touch - but was quite the wary child uncertain if the dog will bite. Andy stared at Bella's pale shoulders, her tattered robes draped in ruins around her arms. She reached out and placed a warm hand on the cold skin. Bella went rigid at the contact but didn't snap or pull away as she usually did, and Andy scooted closer, pressing a cheek against her, letting hot tears wash down Bella's back. Andy wrapped an arm around her unyielding sister, and the silence remained. They lay there under the clear night sky; stars and constellations that served as namesakes for generations shined down upon them. Minutes of silence and stillness passed.

Suddenly, Bella breathed a deep, shuddering gasp, moved slightly, and Andy felt the wand be taken from her hand and back to its rightful owner. Andy heard a quiet murmur of words and opened her eyes a sliver to see a small blue light flash over the curve of Bella's shoulder. Bella reached back and grabbed her sister's hand, and Andy felt something small and hard press into her palm. Bella closed Andy's fingers around it and encompassed her hand, squeezed quickly before letting go. Andy pulled her hand back and looked at the object.

It was a silver three-leafed clover. Bella had transfigured one of the clovers in the thick patch below them into a small charm. Andy stared at the gleaming, heart-shaped leaves. The middle leaf was slightly bigger than the other two.

"You're the strong one, Andy," Bella muttered into the darkness. "You always have been."


	7. Chapter Seven

**Disclaimer**: I own none of these characters. The two quotes at the end of the chapter are taken from J.K. Rowling's _Deathly Hallows_, Chapter 23.

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

She never understood why cemeteries allowed sunshine.

The bright flowers and happily chirping birds and rustling green trees make a bitter mockery of the gray tombstones that peppered the landscape. No one is happy when they come to a cemetery. No one wants to look around and see overwhelming proof of life when the one she loves is lying dead in the cold earth. Couldn't the owner charm the graveyard to reflect visitors' feelings? Couldn't he make the grounds dry and saturated and the trees twisted and barren and the birds silent and black? Couldn't there be a perpetual rain cloud?

She felt a hand gently squeeze hers, and her thoughts dispersed like a puff of smoke.

"Are you ready, Mum?" her daughter asked softly.

She studied Nymphadora's face and searched for traces of Ted, for proof that he really once lived. She found it in her daughter's kind smile, in her slender nose. Andromeda squeezed her hand back and nodded. It was time to go.

They walked in silence down the gravel path to the gated entrance where Remus waited with the carriage. Both he and Andromeda agreed that Dora was too pregnant to Apparate or use Floo Powder. Since none of them could operate a Muggle car with any sort of confidence, Remus managed to rent an old coach and horse from an aging Muggle farmer in a nearby village.

Andromeda could not help but wrinkle her nose slightly as she climbed through the door. The faded velvet walls were fraying and torn in places and the cramped interior smelled like the farm from which it came.

Remus looked at her apologetically as he climbed onto the driver's seat but Dora laughed. Ted's laugh.

"Mother must be reliving her days as a Noble and Most Ancient Black," she said with an air of faux-snobbery. "I'm sorry the Muggle was fresh out of white Aethonans and could only spare us this old nag."

Andromeda just shook her head and rolled her eyes. She was too ashamed to admit that, for a brief second, she _had _been doing just that. Eager to change the subject, she turned to her son-in-law.

"Is there any news on the whereabouts of Harry Potter?" she called to him.

"Not since you last asked," he said over his shoulder as he directed the horse. "The Order continues to make occasional trips to Grimmauld Place on the off-chance Harry returns. But since Death Eaters have swarmed the house, we have to keep our distance. I'd like to somehow get to Kreacher and ask him if he's overheard anything the three of them mentioned before they left - or even visiting Death Eaters have let slip."

"That's unlikely, considering he worships the ground Bellatrix and Narcissa walk on," Dora said, clutching her round belly with every bump of the rickety coach. "He wouldn't betray their information, especially to you, sweetheart. No offense."

"I never liked him much," Andromeda said distantly, staring out the window while Remus and Dora continued their discussion about Harry Potter's hiding places.

Her mind wandered again, leaping from thought to related thought, as minds sometimes do. It had been months since her encounter with Bellatrix and weeks since she had paid it any sort of attention. Since Ted's death, Andromeda had completely and conciously pushed her sisters from her mind. She knew the more she thought about it, the more she'd convince herself that Bellatrix wouldn't have forgiven herself for letting Andromeda - Blood Traitor Number One in her twisted book - escape that night. She would have wanted revenge...

_She didn't kill Ted_._ She isn't the only Death Eater at You-Know-Who's disposal, _a calm voice in her head said.

_She very well could have, _another voice said. _You know Bella, even now. She would want to make it clear that sparing you that night was an awful mistake. She would have wanted to send a message._

_She's my sister._

_She's a murderer._

_She spared me._

_She killed Sirius. She nearly killed your daughter._

_It could have been any of those thug Snatchers._

_It could have been Bella._

An awful, sick feeling crept up her throat, and she was relieved to realized the carriage had stopped outside of her house. Dora hugged her goodbye as Andromeda climbed out of the coach.

"You're sure you won't stay for dinner?" she asked, although she already knew the answer. "I'm making a roast tonight. And rhubarb crumble, I know that's your favorite."

"You know we would love to, Mum," Dora said. "But we have to do some last-minute preperations for the baby."

"Of course," Andromeda said, forcing a smile to hide the disappointment as Remus jerked the reigns. "Be careful."

Dora leaned out the carriage window as it pulled away. "Take care of yourself, Mum. Relax! I don't want to hear any news from the neighbors of you renovating the house or anything ridiculous."

Andromeda waved and continued to watch the spot the carriage had been long after it disappeared over the horizon. After a while, she sighed and turned towards the front door. Back to the deafening silence. Back to the peace and stillness while a battle raged in her heart.

She ate dinner and read the _Daily Prophet_, more out of habit than anything; she no longer believed a word in it.

"Now they're saying Muggleborns Confounded pure-blooded wizards into marrying them, Ted," she said dryly to his picture frame at the other end of the table. "They're questioning half-bloods about their parents' relationship, if it seemed 'normal.' Well how would the children know? They've only ever had one set of parents."

She allowed herself a short laugh. "Did you Confound me, Ted? What would Dora say about us? A member of Wizarding Royalty abandons her pureblood-obssesed family to live a common life with a Muggleborn Hufflepuff. What's not normal about that?"

She watched Ted's beaming smile flash again and again in the photograph, occasionally breaking into a silent belly laugh. She didn't cry when the stony-faced Order members appeared at her door, bearing the news of his death. She didn't cry at his funeral. Everyone had watched her like some unmarked time bomb, unsure of when she would finally succumb to her grief. She had hugged and comforted crying friends and family. She had assured them it was going to be alright. "You're so strong" and "I don't know how you do it" and "Ted wouldn't have wanted you to be upset." They didn't understand: She wanted to cry. She willed tears to come. But she knew it had been trained out of her at an early age. _Stiff upper lip, Andromeda. Never let them see you at your weakest. And if they do, never let them know with tears or complaints or self-pity._ Druella's words at her own father's funeral, wiping away her middle daughter's tears.

So she didn't cry for Ted.

...

"Excellent pudding, Narcissa," Macnair said, shoveling another hearty spoonful in his mouth and dribbling even more onto the once-pristine tablecloth.

She nodded stiffly, mouth in a tight line. On the right, she saw Bellatrix's eyebrows fly up, and Narcissa braced for confrontation.

"Yes, your flawless etiquette makes it so appetizing to the rest of us," she sneered, setting down her fork in disgust.

"Forgive me. Perhaps the half-breed's brat will inherit the Black family manners. The child is due any day now, isn't it?" Macnair shot back, wiping a smear of pudding from the corner of his mouth.

"You dare insult the hostess's family in her own home?" Bellatrix shrieked, reaching for her wand as the other Death Eaters laughed at her embarrassment.

"Bella!" Narcissa warned, trying to ignore the ice coursing through her veins that always manifested at the mention of that painfully severed part of the family. "That isn't necessary."

She turned to Macnair, "If you continue to drag my family's name down to where it no longer holds stake, you can find alternative lodgings to invade."

Macnair shot Bellatrix another scathing look but said nothing more. The rest of dinner carried on without discussion, Macnair and the other Death Eaters shamed into silence by Narcissa. After a flick of her wand cleared the table, Narcissa turned to Lucius, who had returned to the head of the table in the Dark Lord's absence.

"Bella and I are going to take a walk on the grounds," she said to him.

Bellatrix opened her mouth in protest, but Narcissa cut her off. "I need your opinion on the trumpeting jasmine."

She swept out of room and through the French doors to the garden, a confused Bellatrix in her wake.

"Trumpeting jasmine, Cissy. What is this? Since when have I ever cared about flowers?"

Narcissa took a deep breath and summoned the small part of her that knew her sister would never harm her.

"Bella, I need to know what happened the night you saw Andromeda."

The color drained from her sister's face, and she looked slightly panicked. For the first time Narcissa could ever recall, Bellatrix was at a loss for words. They had not spoken about the Andromeda incident since the night Bellatrix burst into the drawing room and confessed her momentary weakness. In fact, Narcissa was almost certain that her sister had convinced herself that it had never happened, that it had instead been some sort of awful nightmare. She used Bellatrix's uncharacteristic stunned silence as an opportunity to explain herself further.

"Bella, I am your sister, for Merlin's sake," she hissed. "I am not going to submit you to questioning by the Dark Lord. I just...wanted to know."

At the mention of her Master, Bellatrix seemed to recover full-force.

"I know what you meant, Narcissa," she snapped, and her expression darkened. "However, I cannot imagine how recounting the night's events could serve any sort of purpose."

"It would serve personal purposes! I want to know, Bellatrix!" Narcissa said heatedly, fighting to keep her voice low, although that tact was lost on her sister.

"What happened that night was largely a success despite a minor encounter! Shall I detail how I captured a hoard of Mudbloods and executed a half-dozen more? Shall I explain the look in a mother's eyes as I performed the Cruciatus Curse on her son? Shall I demonstrate the worms' pathetic screams as the flames danced around the room?" Bellatrix's eyes flashed wildly.

"Enough," Narcissa whispered, her face slightly green. She turned away from her sister and blinked back tears of frustration. Gone were the days of using well-timed crying fits and pouty looks to get her way as the youngest sister.

Bellatrix grabbed Narcissa's forearm and pushed up her sleeve, revealing pale, unblemished skin.

"You did not take the Mark, Cissy," Bellatrix growled into her sister's ear. "You chose to live reaping the rewards of the Dark Lord's servants without actually serving him yourself. Therefore, our victories are not your victories. And our missteps are not your missteps."

She dropped Narcissa's arm and walked away. Narcissa could tell by the slamming door and the rattling glass that Bellatrix had gone back inside in a fury. She stood planted on the spot, knowing better than to pursue an enraged Bellatrix Lestrange.

She stared out onto the perfectly manicured landscape, Bellatrix's words continuing to bite away at her, as they always did in her explosive anger. _Our missteps are not your missteps_. She knew Bellatrix was not angry about Narcissa's sudden and unearned interest in Death Eater missions. She knew the rage came from Bellatrix admitting she ever cared about Andromeda. _"No sister of ours." _

Suddenly, there was a commotion at the front gate. She drew herself to full height as six cloaked figures led a bound and chained group down the path towards the manor.

"What is this?" she demanded at the approaching caravan.

"We're here to see He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named," the tallest and grisliest of the Snatchers announced, thrusting a disfigured, dark-haired and bespectacled boy forward.

Harry Potter had arrived at Malfoy Manor.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Yes, this is the "behind the scenes" of the moments before the Malfoy Manor chapter in _Deathly Hallows_. I just re-read the chapter and thought the interaction between Bellatrix and Narcissa was more strained than usual, so I wanted to work it into the story. At first, I planned on ending the story with the last chapter; it seemed like a good stopping point. But I mapped out six more chapters (including this one), so it looks like the story lives! Thanks for all reads and reviews. I hope to have the next installation up soon.


	8. Chapter Eight

_To understand Transfiguration in its most complete sense, the witch or wizard must recall the basic transitive property -_

Andromeda stared hopelessly at the black words scratched on the worn parchment. She had been reading the same page for a quarter hour - each passing tick of the clock a reminder of the fast-approaching school year and the N.E.W.T. classes that accompanied it - and had not absorbed any of it.

_To understand Transfiguration in its most complete sense, the witch or wizard must recall the basic transitive property, which states if 'a' is related to 'b' and - _

"AIIIIIIIIEEEEEEE!"

The gleeful screech echoed down the hall and shook Andromeda from her deep concentration. She tensed, staring at the doorway and waiting for further noise. Hearing none, she sighed, turned back to her Transfiguration schoolbook and resumed chewing on the tip of her quill.

_- the basic transitive property, which states if 'a' is related to 'b' and - 'b' is related to 'c' then 'a' is related to 'c.' It is on this simple yet effective law that - _

"Andromeda! ANDY! Come see this!"

The second outburst jolted her enough to break the quill in half. With a string of curses that would have made Bellatrix proud, Andromeda pinched the bridge of her nose and took a deep breath.

"I'm in the study, Narcissa! _Some _of us are studying for our N.E.W.T. examinations, while others _do not have the decency to shut up_," She yelled back through gritted teeth.

The blonde hustled into the room, a sleek black box tucked under her arm and a thick stack of envelopes in her hand. Andromeda could see the corners of her sister's mouth twitching in excitement as she fought to regain her flawless upper crust composure. Andromeda peered at her sideways as she flipped through the pages.

"Honestly, Cissy, I've never heard you more than sneeze, and you choose now to bellow around like a dying Jobberknoll."

Narcissa ignored this and instead glided over to the table and ceremoniously dropped the box on her sister's notes and books. _Twilfitt & Tattings, Inc. _shimmered in green across the lid. With a tap of Narcissa's wand, the silk ribbon unraveled and receded, and the black panels dissolved into a shower of silver stars. A sheen, emerald gown slowly unfolded and levitated over the space the box occupied moments ago.

"Bolivian vicuña with golden weave," Narcissa smirked, smugness dripping from her every word. "Only nine others in the entire world."

"You always find a way to put Father's Galleons to _such _good use," Andromeda sighed, watching the dress rotate above her head.

"Well, it's certainly more acceptable than purchasing embarrassing amounts of literature you don't even need," Narcissa said, glancing at her sister's teetering stack of books.

"It would do you well to spend a bit more time with your _required _text if you have any hopes of landing a respectable career beyond Hogwarts, Cissy," Andromeda said, waving her wand and sending the gown back into its box.

"And it would do _you _well to spend a bit more time shopping with Mother and me if you have any hopes of landing a respectable _husband _beyond Hogwarts, _Andy_," Narcissa snapped.

Andromeda opened her mouth to retort but closed it quickly and grabbed a fresh quill.

"I really do need to get back to studying," she muttered.

Narcissa, sensing a victory, smirked again and placed a lavender envelope on her sister's lap.

"I must say I am pleasantly surprised that you have subscribed to _Witches' Weekly_," said Narcissa, nodding towards the envelope. "I figured it was below that insufferable intelligence in which you take so much unnecessary pride."

Andromeda watched her sister leave the leave before tearing it open. She recognized the large, wide handwriting at once and couldn't suppress a grin and accompanying flutter of happiness in her stomach.

_My Dear Andromeda,_

_If you are reading this, it means that brilliant Witches'_ Weekly _disguise charm worked perfectly. Your solutions to our small communication problem are getting more and more clever, my darling, even though I am slightly upset you wouldn't let me use the boobytrap I had originally planned. Picturing your prim little sister with Stinksap dripping off her face was quite satisfying._

_As much as it pains me to say, we probably cannot afford to communicate as often until school resumes. Messenger owls are hard to come by in the Muggle world, and I don't want any of your family friends tracing Ermete back to my home. If we get caught, your parents will lock you away forever, and I will have to find another pureblood princess to woo with my Muggleborn charms. _

_Can you imagine if we were named Head Boy and Head Girl together? Just think of all those extended hours on the grounds at night we're allowed...one's mind does wonder! I don't think we could get that lucky, though. My Galleons are on Fenwick and that Ravenclaw Jeanetta Armbruster. _

_I thought about your plan, and I just don't think it's reasonable, Andromeda. Polyjuice potion ingredients are very rare, and it would be near impossible to restock. Plus, I can imagine your sisters turning up at the house at a moment's notice, and I might be discovered in my boring Muggleborn form before I had a chance to disguise myself. I know what your next suggestion might be, but I just cannot accept it. I cannot be responsible for doing that to you. _

_What if I get old and fat and absolutely horrid to behold and you rue the day you ever made that decision? _

_Write back soon. All my love,_

_T_

"There you are."

Andromeda jumped slightly in her seat, and she felt the paper rip from her hands. Fear and adrenaline surged through her, and she braced for the pending explosion.

"_Witches Weekly_, Andy? Please don't tell me Narcissa has used my absence as a campaign to convert you."

Bellatrix plopped down in an armchair across from her sister, tossing the paper on the floor and inspecting her wand. Andromeda's heart rate slowed to normal as she stared at the letter, giving silent thanks that the charm working a second, more crucial time.

"I had to practically pry myself away from Druella," Bellatrix continued. "If I have to dodge one more question about giving her a grandson - Andromeda Black, are you crying?"

Andromeda tore her eyes from the magazine and casually wiped her cheek.

"No, I must have gotten some dust in my eye," she lied quietly.

Bellatrix nodded knowingly. "I've always said the house elves don't earn their keep around here. The way they clean things, you'd think they'd be using Mudbloods as rags."

Andromeda shot her a look. "Bella, I was studying, you know."

Bellatrix barked a laugh. "Studying what, Andy? 'Nine Ways to Win Your Warlock'? What's wrong with you anyway? I'm gone for three weeks, and you barely flinch when I return. Has Druella gotten to you, too?"

Andromeda waited for the weight to lift. She waited for presence of her older sister to solve every problem, like it had so many times in the past with fights with Druella or nerves about a test or reaching her limit of dealing with Narcissa's nagging without Bella there to soften the blow. She studied her sister's face, so like her own, but it looked thinner. Hollowed. Her hair looked slightly frayed, and it blended in with the dark cloak with long sleeves that hid her controversial secret. The relief didn't come. So instead, Andromeda teased.

"What is this? Bellatrix Lestrange scorned by lack of affection?"

"Oh, please," Bellatrix yawned. "It's just that you and I both know it's such a bore around here without me."

Andromeda knew her silence confirmed her sister's suspicions. Things were noticeably quieter without Bellatrix around. And quiet led to seclusion. And thinking. Irrational thinking...

She pushed the thoughts aside.

"Our cousins are paying us a visit today," said Andromeda, moving to sit on the arm of Bellatrix's chair. "Walburga is under the impression that I am going to be named Head Girl and is calling for an early celebration."

"More like an early mourning," Bellatrix scoffed. "We must resign the fact that you ruined the Black Family name of impertinence at Hogwarts by being _so _well-behaved."

"Don't be ridiculous," Andromeda said. "Phineaus Nigellus was headmaster."

"Most _hated_ headmaster, if I recall correctly! Like a proper Black!" Bellatrix laughed again, and looked up at her sister. Seeing Andromeda's troubled face, Bellatrix rolled her eyes. "Come off it, Andy. I was joking. No one could possibly hate you. Unless it's because of your association with me, in which I would take a great deal of pride."

They sat in silence for a while, Andromeda fighting the internal demons that did not quite manage to subside in her sister's presence. The pressure was digging into her, like a jagged tattoo threatening to carve out her secret. She fought to keep her breathing in time with the ticking clock, until a sudden CRACK! filled the room.

"Mister and Mistress Orion Black wish to formally announce their arrival!"

The abrupt arrival of Kreacher and his gravely voice caused Bellatrix to curse and spring to her feet, practically knocking Andromeda off the chair.

"Yes, yes, alright then, elf," she said, waving her hand dismissively as Kreacher bowed out of the room. She turned to Andromeda, grinning wickedly. "I suppose it's time to torment Druella with our hopeless social missteps."

...

Narcissa Black was not pleased.

After a quick look at Druella's rigid posture and pursed mouth, she could tell her mother felt the same way.

Aunt Walburga had come sweeping in, loudly proclaiming Andromeda's achievements and the re-installation of the Black Family honor at Hogwarts. And Andromeda had calmly explained that she had not yet been named Head Girl and would not know for a few weeks.

"Balderdash," Walburga said, waving her hand dismissively. "I know a Head Girl when I see one, Andromeda. When a Black becomes a prefect, that is the next natural step. The school knows this, my dear niece."

"You forget, Aunt Walburga, that things have changed since your tenure at Hogwarts," Bellatrix said acidly. "With Albus Dumbledore in charge, status and tradition are as good as the mud in his half-blood veins."

It was then, Narcissa noted, that the two erupted into one of their typical anti-Muggle, anti-Mudblood rants, with an occasional supporting comment from Uncle Orion. After some time, her mother attempted to regain control of the conversation by summoning the tea and noting that Sirius must be excited to begin his schooling, but Walburga and Bellatrix paid no mind.

So there they were, an hour later and the conversation as strong as ever and Bolivian vicuña gown shockingly under-appreciated. Narcissa glanced hopefully at Andromeda, who proved to be useless as always, entertaining Sirius and Regulus with flashy wand tricks. She turned back to her aunt and oldest sister, crossing her arms and sinking an inch lower in her chair. Not too low, though. A lady must be a lady, even when displeased.

"I have always maintained the school will be forever tarnished until the day Mudbloods are turned away at the door," Walburga concluded, gesturing with a half-eaten biscuit.

"I have a far better solution," Bellatrix said in a hiss so quiet that Narcissa thought she must have been the only to hear.

Sensing a break, Narcissa nodded politely and sipped her tea. Finally, she thought. It is over.

"How can you tell?"

Everyone's heads turned. It was Sirius, who had abandoned Andromeda's transfigured snake to join the conversation.

"What was that, boy?" Walburga snapped.

"How can you tell if the witch or wizard is a Muggleborn?" Sirius asked.

Walburga's face flushed a deep shade of crimson and she shot a nervous look at Bellatrix.

"Forgive my son's foolishness-"

"That's alright, Walburga, he's still a child," Bellatrix said with a smile that did not quite reach her eyes.

She turned towards Sirius. "Allow me to give you a more important lesson than you'll ever learn at Hogwarts, dear cousin. Observe."

And with a flick of her wand, a large, sparrow appeared in her palm, chirping happily.

See how he is strong, beautiful, proud," Bellatrix said. "He is the representation of everything a sparrow should be. He represents nobility and order. He is the rightful master of his kin."

With another wave, another sparrow appeared, considerably smaller and sicklier looking than his counterpart. The bird wheezed and staggered around on the table. Regulus joined his brother's side, intrigued at the new magic.

"Now observe this one," Bellatrix said, her voice low. "He is ugly. Weak. Diseased. He is a threat to other sparrows. His offspring's offspring jeopardize the future of the species."

The room was deathly silent. Narcissa felt a foreboding lump from in her throat but could not tear away from the scene. She saw movement out of the corner of her eye; Andromeda was pulling Regulus back to her, trying to catch his fascination once more.

"It is because of this that the first sparrow must destroy any threats to his descendants," Bellatrix continued, her voice dropping to a whisper. "He must do it for the greater good of his kin's future."

Sirius was not consoled. His brow wrinkled.

"I overheard a girl in Diagon Ally talk about her Muggle parents," he said, staring intently at the two birds. "She looked no different than anyone else there. These sparrows are easy to tell apart because they don't look alike on the outside. So how can you tell with people?"

Silence.

Then…

In one swift motion, Bellatrix unsheathed a small dagger from her robes and plunged it into the breast of the smaller sparrow. With a rough jerk, she sliced through the bird. Thick, rancid mud and waves of spiders spilled out of the gash as it crumpled.

Andromeda succeeded in whisking Regulus out of the room as he started to cry in fright, while Narcissa, Druella, Orion and Walburga flew out of their seats to avoid the wave of spiders. Sirius and Bellatrix, however, remained unmoving, face to face over the ruined sparrow.

"Simple," she growled. "Look on the inside."


End file.
